Page 33 of Knot My Boss

“We can’t,” Daegyn says, continuously looking back to see if we are being followed.

“I need to know,” I bellow, as tears stream down my face, well up since I’m upside down.

“They will let us know, Darby,” Daegyn informs me, sadness leaching into his voice.

The area where we left Arek lying, bleeding in the snow, is too far away to see now. Declan moves me to Daegyn as he takes off ahead of us.

“Where is he going?” I cry.

“He’s going to update the family and let Tavan know we are bringing Arek in with a bullet wound,” Daegyn answers.

“So he is okay?” I question expectantly.

“I don’t know.”

Tired of the round and round non-answers Daegyn and his twin keep giving me, I give up, slumping against him, the fight draining out of me.

Chapter 21 - Darby

Chaos.

That is the only word to describe what is going on right now.

Daegyn and I were almost to the den when Altos Palmer, Arek’s dad, along with Mycah Palmer and Reznyk Martin, Arek’s uncles, went whizzing by on some sort of ATV that had a small truck bed. Declan was wedged between them, directing them in the direction Arek had fallen.

Roree, Raelee, and Rhodee are taking care of me. Natalia, Arek’s mom, is being consoled by Domella, the triplet’s mom, and Marlee, Declan, Daegyn, and Jathen’s mom. Aunt Mitzi is the only one not crying, pacing, or freaking out.

For some reason, my attention is drawn to Mitzi. She is calmly sitting in the corner, crocheting…something. My head tilts to the side, trying to figure out what she has on now. Taking her in from head to toe, a soft smile stretches across my lips. Mitzi, the eccentric older woman, is dressed like a twenties Flapper. Her outfit is complete with a fringed dress, gloves to her elbows,fishnet stockings, a garter, heels, several lengthy strands of pearls, and, of course, the headband complete with feathers.

Unable to control myself, the absurdity of it has me laughing. I start softly, moving to a giggle, and gradually become so overcome that I am bent over in loud belly laughs.

One of the triplets follows my line of sight, a smile spreading across her face.

“Yeah, she has a way of breaking up the tension.”

Mitzi lifts her head, giving me a quick wink, before returning to her task as if nothing happened.

The doors burst open, and the Palmer/Martin men barge in, carrying Arek in a makeshift stretcher made out of blankets. Rising to my feet, I move to follow before Declan steps into my path, stopping me.

“Let Tavan take a look at Arek,” Declan says as the men begin filing back into the waiting area, from where they took my mate. “He’s breathing, but he has lost a lot of blood.”

“What about the guy who shot him?” I ask, using my anger to mask my worry.

Daegyn smirks, taking over for Declan. “Gunnar and Hayder have him hog-tied and are taking him to the sheriff’s office with poaching charges.”

The fact that they caught the shooter does little to soothe my nerves.

Arek

Pain.

So. Much. Pain.

My eyes flutter open, trying to get my bearings.

Gazing around the room, I realize that I am at Tavan’s clinic. I shift, trying to get comfortable, when a pained groan escapes my lips. Giving up, I look down my body to take stock of my injuries.

Darby’s head is resting on the bed at my side, her breathing even as she sleeps.

---